Building block



Dgc. 5, 1950 D. A. BRIDGES 2,532,478

7 BUILDING BLOCK Filed Jan. 11, 1945 3 W0 ram rm BABE/0656 Patented Dec. 5, 1950 BUILDING BLOCK Donald A. Bridges, Muncie, Ind., assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application January 11, 1945, Serial No. 572,362

6 Claims.

My invention relates to building blocks and like articles made of glass or other vitreous materials, and more particularly to a block of this character having an intermediate Wall or walls by which the block is divided into a plurality of cells. -A block of this type having a plurality of cells has substantial advantages over a single cell block as it materially reduces the sensible heat transfer 50 that the heat insulating properties of a wall built of such blocks are correspondingly improved. A plural cell block also provides an increased number of major surfaces which may be designed to give directional control of transmitted light.

An object of the present invention is to provide a plural cell block of improved design in which the block sections are welded together in an effective manner, and to provide a novel method of assembling and uniting the block sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel design and construction of the block permitting the block sections to be supported in a practical manner during the welding and assembling operations.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a partly diagrammatic view of the elements of a block and the burners, illustrating the method of heating the surfaces which are to be welded together, the elements of the block bein shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation of a block on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on a still larger scale, at the line 3--3 on Fig. 1.

The building block in its preferred form comprises upper and lower sections 3 and lrespectively, and an intermediate section 5. The sections 3 and 4 may be identical in construction, each being hollow or cup-shaped and comprising a substantially flat body preferably square or rectangular and formed with integral marginal skirt or flange 'l. The intermediate section 5, which forms a partition wall, is substantially coextensive laterally with the sections 3 and 4 and is formed with integral marginal flanges 8 which abut the flanges l and are welded thereto, thereby forming an integral structure. The flanges 8 thus form a portion of the end and side walls of the assembled block.

The block sections 3, 4, and as shown, are made of glass, and may be formed in molds in a conventional manner. Referring to Fig. 1, means for heating the edges of the block sections comprises upper and lower burners l0 and. The

2 block sections when taken from the molds and while still hot, are brought into vertical alignment and spaced apart as shown in Fig. 1, with the burners interposed. Each burner is constructed to project jets I2 of flame against the edges of the block sections and apply an intense localized heat to said surfaces by which they are brought to a welding temperature. The burners are then Withdrawn and the block sections brought together.

The methodof assembling the blocks may consist in either moving the outer sections 3 and 4 vertically into engagement with the partition section 5 or in moving both the lower and middle sections upward to assembled position. The heated marginal surfaces l3 (Fig. 2') are thus brought into contact so that the sections are welded together or fused into an integral structure. Sufficient pressure is applied to insure a good weld and spread the softened glass to form beads l4 along the line of weld, thereby also in-- creasing the area of the contact surfaces l3.

In order to permit the intermediate section 5 to be held under control during the assembling and welding operations, the outer marginal surface in said section is formed with a recess IE or groove adapted to receive tongs l6 by which the section 5 is supported. The groove [5, which preferably extends entirely around the section 5, reduces the thickness of the flange 8 at their base, and, by reducing heat dissipation, facilitates the localized heating at the surfaces l3 for the welding operation.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A glass building block comprising an upper, a lower, and an intermediate section, each formed with vertically disposed marginal flanges, all of said flanges being in vertical alignment and positioned with the flanges of the upper and lower sections abutting the flanges on the intermediate section and welded thereto, the edge portions of the said flanges being spread to form beads extending along the lines at which the flanges abut and thereby enlarging the area of the weld.

2. A building block consisting of vitreous material and comprising outer cup-shaped sections and an intermediate wall section, the latter being formed with marginal flanges projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the body of said well section and perpendicular thereto, said cupshaped sections having the marginal portions of their walls in alignment with said flanges and abutting the marginal surfaces thereof and being Welded thereto, the inner and outer wall surfaces of said flanges being substantially in alignment respectively with the inner and outer wall surfaces of said marginal portions of the cupshaped sections.

3. A glass building block, comprising outer sections each having a rectangular body portion and an integral, marginal, peripheral flange having an edge surface bridging the space between the inner and outer wall surfaces of the flange, said block having an intermediate section forming a partition wall and formed with marginal flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof in alignment respectively with the said flanges of the outer sections, and having their edge surfaces abutting said first mentioned. edge surfaces and fused thereto to form an integral structure.

4. A building block, comprising upper and lower cup-like sections, the upper section including a downwardly extended marginal wall portion with a horizontally disposed bottom edge surface, the lower said section including an upwardly extending marginal wall portion having a horizontally disposed top edge surface, and an intermediate section forming a partition wall between the said upper and lower sections, said intermediate section having upper and lower flanges positioned in vertical alignment with said wall portions of the upper and lower sections, the top and bottom edges respectively of the said upper and lower marginal flanges abutting the said bottom and top edge surfaces of the upper and lower said sections, and being welded thereto.

5. A building block, comprising upper and lower cup-like sections, the upper section having a; downwardly extended marginal wall portion with a horizontally disposed bottom edge surface, the lower said section having an upwardly extending marginal wall portion having a horizontally disposed top edge surface, and an intermediat section forming a partition wall between the said upper and lower sections, said intermediate section having upper and lower flanges positioned between, in vertical alignment with said marginal wall portions of the upper and lower sections, the top and bottom edge surfaces respectively of the said upper and lower flanges abutting the said edge surfaces of the upper and lower saids'ections, and being welded thereto, said intermediate section being formed with a groove in its outer surface extending along the perimeter thereof between said flanges.

6. A glass building block, comprising an upper section consisting of a horizontal body portion and an integral vertically depending marginal flange, a lower section comprising a horizontal body portion and an integral marginal flange eX- tending upwardly therefrom, and an intermediate section comprising a, horizontal body and integral vertical flanges extending vertically upward and downward res actively therefrom, all of said flanges being in vertical alignment with the edge surfaces of the intermediate flanges abutting and welded to the edge surfaces of the other said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,105,174 Zimmermanet a1. Jan. 11, 1938 2,158,989 Slick May 16, 1939 2,194,731 'Winship Mar. 26, 1940 2,194,756. K611 Mar. 26, 1940 2,272,061 Drake d Feb. 3, 1942 2,290,088 Bleakley July 14,1942 

